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Study in Italy

Praising Italy might be the most complicated thing in the world: where do you even start?. Do you mention a bunch of famous Italians, like da Vinci, Borgia, Versace, and Vivaldi? Or just mention the fields they revolutionised, like Architecture, Music, Engineering, and Fashion? I could just focus on the brilliant landscapes and the UNESCO World Heritage sites, or how awesome Italian people are, with their pastas, wines, and signature hand gesture, but it would be redundant.

Bottom line is simply: Italy is awesome!

Why Study in Italy?

Italy is home to the oldest university in the world, University of Bologna; and, since its inception, the educational system never stopped growing and improving.

With student discounts, thousands of Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, and a beautiful and diverse country, there’s no wonder students pick Italy as their international destination.

It might seem there aren’t enough words in the world to express what a beautiful and breath-taking experience studying in Italy can be; but, since someone felt the need to describe this feeling of shortness of breath as an illness (No, really… Google “Florence syndrome”), you can only assume what a marvellous period in your life this will be.

What to study in Italy

Italy can be easily compared to that annoying colleague from high school who excelled at everything he or she did. Considering how many pioneers Italy has produced, there’s no wonder the list of “most sought-after” fields is so vast and comprehensive. Still, the most popular study options in Italy are:

Major cities in Italy

The greatest universities in Italy are usually located in the bigger cities. If you’re not sure which are those, or you’re simply searching for details about living costs and geography, you can always check out these cities in Italy:

Which universities to attend in Italy

If you’re the type of student who wants to go only to the best universities, disregarding the city you’re going to or the province best suited for you, you can always check out these highly-recommended universities:

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, in Milan;
Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, in Bolzano-Bozen;
Ca'Foscari University, in Venice;
Istituto Europeo Di Design (IED), in Milan;
POLI.design, in Milan;
European School of Economics, in Florence.

Practical Information

How to apply to universities in Italy

The application process in Italy can be complicated, but we’re here to help and trace the major lines.

First of all, you should contact the university you’re interested in and check if your qualifications are eligible. This is represented by a prior assessment, after which the university will give you feedback and tell you if you meet all the standards.

After, you will have to submit a pre-application request at your Italian embassy or consulate, and let them manage your application afterwards.

By the end of August, students will find a list of admitted candidates on the embassy’s or consulate’s page.

Some of the documents you will need to deliver with your application are:

Your ID;
A passport-type photograph;
Your academic transcripts;
Your university application form;
A detailed study programme or course description, which must contain the number of hours of the courses or training activities that you have completed, according to your academic curriculum;
Your CV;
A letter of recommendation;
A letter of motivation;
Language proficiency certificate (English or Italian);
Your portfolio, if you’re applying to Architecture, Urban Planning, or Design programmes;
Official SAT or ACT scores.

Helpful ways to make sure you qualify for an Italian university

Take Preparation Courses: These kinds of courses enable degree-seeking students to get an extra educational boost just before they start their Master’s degree or other post-graduate degree programmes. Try a pre-M.B.A., pre-Law, or pre-Medicine programme, as well as any other foundation or preparation courses that will allow you to study in the degree programme of your choice;

Improve your English through an English-language prep course: If you’re attending a degree programme in Italy, you will need to prove that your language skills are good enough to participate in the classes and understand the lectures; some schools will require strong English, or Italian, skills. These courses will also prepare you for any of the English-language tests that universities require.

English-language tests

Italian universities have programmes that are taught either in English or in Italian. That’s why, in order to be accepted at one of their programmes, you will need to provide proof of either English or Italian proficiency.

The language tests accepted by Italian universities for English are:

TOEFL
TOEIC
IELTS
C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency

Living in Italy

What is it like to study in Italy?

Everybody who gets to study in Italy says the same thing about the universities here: the professors and fellow students are friendly and helpful, the cultural landscape is very diverse, and the architecture of the universities is exquisite.

However, it might help if you study a bit of Italian before coming here: although they are warm and kind, it may be difficult to talk to them, because not everyone is fluent in English.

Also, although the tuition fees are rather low, you should check out scholarships in Italy: there are a lot of chances of discovering one that suits you and your study option.

Tuition fees in Italy

Tuition fees vary in Italy wildly, depending if you are from the EU or not, if the university is public or private, or if you arrive with an ERASMUS scholarship.

For instance, on average:

A public university’s tuition fee is around 850 to 1.000 EUR / year;
A private university’s tuition fee is around 6.000 to 20.000 EUR / year;

Sure, it will depend on your degree, as well, seeing how Medicine and Engineering and Technology may damage your wallet more than Social Sciences or Humanities.

Accommodation, housing, food, and other expenses

Italy is one of the cheapest countries in Central Europe. Adding accommodation, transportation, food, and entertainment, a student can live on 1.450 EUR / month quite luxuriously - and that’s for Milan and Rome, two of the biggest cities in Italy.

For cities like Bologna, Bolzano, and Florence, expenses may come between 600 and 900 EUR / month.

To get a better picture, you should know that some of the prices you will find in shops and restaurants are:

A loaf of bread: 1.5 EUR;
A meal in a restaurant: 15 EUR;
A one-way ticket for local transportation is 1.5 EUR;
Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the centre is 582 EUR.

On average you should prepare about 600-900 EUR/month for living costs.

About Italy

Facts about Italy:

Trying to stay far away from clichés and prejudices, let’s try and get a deeper understanding of Italy and what it stands for.

For instance, the name Italy comes from the word italia, which means “land of calves” or “calf land”, which is, automatically, adorable. Scholars assume that this name was inspired by the symbol of the Southern Italian tribes, which was a bull.

And that might be the only moderate fact about Italy we can find. Everything else is plagued by how passionate and proud the Italians are, seeing how:

At the opening of McDonald's in 1986, in Rome, food purists gave away free spaghetti in front of the restaurant, so they could remind people of their culinary heritage;
They call football fans tifosi, meaning people infected with typhoid. This name started after they saw that soccer was treated more like a religion in Italy, not just a simple past-time hobby;
The fork grew in popularity in Europe after it was first imported to Italy. Why was it that famous? Because it was the best utensil to eat spaghetti… No, I am not joking!
In Milan, it’s illegal not to smile, unless you are in a hospital or at a funeral. Can I get a psychotically friendly hallelujah?

Also, you should know a bit about their folklore and superstitions, before going and settling in Italy. Some of the most famous ones are:

The cursed number 17: it’s common for hotels not to have the 17th floor, seeing how the number is believed to be unlucky. It’s a bit of a stretch, but, apparently, 17, or XVII, can be rearranged in VIXI, which loosely translates to “I have lived”, and it’s often associated with death;
Putting a hat on a bed: this one is much more grounded in reality and the horrible aftermaths of the plague or the other diseases that haunted Italy. Legend has it that, when you’re on your deathbed, a priest will come for your final rites, and he would remove his hat and place it on the bed, next to you;
Sardinian islands have witches: the women use a secret language that they pass on to their daughters, along with recipes for health potions;
Vatican is the only nation in the world allowed to lock its gates at night;

And, although it isn’t a superstition, you should still know that Whatsapp is cited in nearly half of the Italian divorce proceedings.